The present invention relates to bleaching compositions, especially laundry detergents, which comprise one or more protease enzymes which are multiply-substituted protease variants and a bleaching system with one or more bleaching agents, especially bleach activators, and methods of using such bleaching compositions.
Various types of enzymes have long been conventionally used in laundry detergents to assist in the removal of certain stains from fabrics. These stains are typically associated with lipid and protein soils. The enzymes, however, have proven less effective against other types of soils and stains.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,272 to Ghosh et al., issued Oct. 10, 1997, discloses bleaching compositions comprising: 1) a protease variant including substitutions of amino acid residues with other amino acid residues at positions corresponding to positions 76 in combination with one or more of the following positions 99, 101, 103, 104, 107, 123, 27, 105, 109, 126, 128, 135, 156, 166, 195, 197, 204, 206, 210, 216, 217, 218, 222, 260, 265 and/or 274 of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subtilisin; 2) a bleaching agent; and 3) one or more bleaching composition materials compatible with the protease variant and bleaching agent.
However, a need for more effective stain removal and/or dingy cleanup over the conventional bleaching compositions still exists.
By the present invention, it has been found that the combination of novel protease enzymes which are multiply-substituted protease variants and bleaching agents, especially bleach activators, provide enhanced and improved stain removal and/or dingy cleanup benefits over conventional bleaching compositions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide bleaching compositions, especially laundry detergent compositions, having improved stain and/or soil removal and/or dingy cleanup benefits and/or fabric cleaning benefits and/or bleaching properties.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter.
The present invention meets the aforementioned needs in that it has been surprisingly discovered that the multiply-substituted protease variants of the present invention, when used in bleaching compositions provide improved and enhanced cleaning benefits, including, but not limited to, stain and/or soil removal and/or reduction and/or whiteness maintenance and/or dingy cleanup and/or spot and/or film removal and/or reduction, over conventional protease-containing bleaching compositions.
The multiply-substituted protease variants of the present invention are suitable for use in high and low density granular, heavy duty and light duty liquids, tablets, powders, gels, foams, sprays, paste, as well as synthetic detergent bar compositions, and other bleaching compositions.
In one aspect of the present invention a bleaching composition comprising:
(a) a protease variant, preferably an effective amount of a protease variant, more preferably from about 0.0001% to about 10% by weight of the bleaching composition of a protease variant, wherein said protease variant includes a substitution of an amino acid residue with another naturally occurring amino acid residue at an amino acid residue position corresponding to position 103 of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subtilisin in combination with a substitution of an amino acid residue with another naturally occurring amino acid residue at one or more amino acid residue positions corresponding to positions 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 33, 37, 38, 42, 43, 48, 55, 57, 58, 61, 62, 68, 72, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 86, 87, 89, 97, 98, 99, 101, 102, 104, 106, 107, 109, 111, 114, 116, 117, 119, 121, 123, 126, 128, 130, 131, 133, 134, 137, 140, 141, 142, 146, 147, 158, 159, 160, 166, 167, 170, 173, 174, 177, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 188, 192, 194, 198, 203, 204, 205, 206, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 222, 224, 227, 228, 230, 232, 236, 237, 238, 240, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 265, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 274 and 275 of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subtilisin; wherein when said protease variant includes a substitution of amino acid residues at positions corresponding to positions 103 and 76, there is also a substitution of an amino acid residue at one or more amino acid residue positions other than amino acid residue positions corresponding to positions 27, 99, 101, 104, 107, 109, 123, 128, 166, 204, 206, 210, 216, 217, 218, 222, 260, 265 or 274 of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subtilisin;
(b) a bleaching agent which either is an organic peroxyacid or is a combination of a bleach activator and a peroxygen compound capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide that can react with the activator to form an organic peroxyacid in situ in a bleaching solution formed from the composition; and
(c) one or more cleaning adjunct materials.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a fabric bleaching composition comprising:
(a) an effective amount, preferably from about 0.0001% to about 10% by weight of the fabric bleaching composition, of the protease variant described above;
(b) a bleaching agent which either is an organic peroxyacid or is a combination of a bleach activator and a peroxygen compound capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide that can react with the activator to form an organic peroxyacid in situ in a bleaching solution formed from the composition;
(c) at least about 5% by weight of the fabric bleaching composition of a surfactant; and
(d) at least about 5% by weight of the fabric bleaching composition of a builder, is provided.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning a fabric in need of cleaning comprising contacting the fabric with the fabric bleaching composition of the present invention is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a dishwashing bleaching composition comprising:
(a) an effective amount, preferably from about 0.0001% to about 10% by weight of the dishwashing composition, of a protease variant described above;
(b) a bleaching agent which either is an organic peroxyacid or is a combination of a bleach activator and a peroxygen compound capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide that can react with the activator to form an organic peroxyacid in situ in a bleaching solution formed from the composition; and
(c) from about 0. 1% to about 10% by weight of a surfactant, is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning a dish in need of cleaning comprising contacting the dish with the dishwashing bleaching composition of the present invention is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a personal cleansing composition comprising:
(a) an effective amount, preferably from about 0.001% to about 5% by weight of the personal cleansing composition, of a protease variant described above;
(b) a bleaching agent which either is an organic peroxyacid or is a combination of a bleach activator and a peroxygen compound capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide that can react with the activator to form an organic peroxyacid in situ in a bleaching solution formed from the composition; and
(c) from about 0.1% to about 95% by weight of the personal cleansing composition of a surfactant system; and
(d) optionally, from about 0.05% to about 50% by weight of the personal cleansing composition of an enzyme stabilizer, is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for personal cleansing of a part of the human or lower animal body in need of cleansing comprising contacting the part with the personal cleansing composition of the present invention is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a bleaching composition comprising:
(a) a protease variant, preferably an effective amount of a protease variant, more preferably from about 0.0001% to about 10% by weight of the bleaching composition of a protease variant, wherein said protease variant includes a substitution of an amino acid residue with another naturally occurring amino acid residue at one or more amino acid residue positions corresponding to positions 62, 212, 230, 232, 252 and 257 of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subtilisin;
(b) a bleaching agent which either is an organic peroxyacid or is a combination of a bleach activator and a peroxygen compound capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide that can react with the activator to form an organic peroxyacid in situ in a bleaching solution formed from the composition; and
(c) one or more cleaning adjunct materials, is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a fabric bleaching composition comprising:
(a) an effective amount, preferably from about 0.0001% to about 10% by weight of the fabric bleaching composition, of a protease variant wherein said protease variant includes a substitution of an amino acid residue with another naturally occurring amino acid residue at one or more amino acid residue positions corresponding to positions 62, 212, 230, 232, 252 and 257 of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subtilisin;
(b) a bleaching agent which either is an organic peroxyacid or is a combination of a bleach activator and a peroxygen compound capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide that can react with the activator to form an organic peroxyacid in situ in a bleaching solution formed from the composition;
(c) at least about 5% by weight of the fabric bleaching composition, of a surfactant; and
(d) at least about 5% by weight of the fabric bleaching composition, of a builder, is provided.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning a fabric in need of cleaning comprising contacting the fabric with the fabric bleaching composition of the present invention is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a dishwashing bleaching composition comprising:
(a) an effective amount, preferably from about 0.0001% to about 10% by weight of the fabric bleaching composition, of a protease variant wherein said protease variant includes a substitution of an amino acid residue with another naturally occurring amino acid residue at one or more amino acid residue positions corresponding to positions 62, 212, 230, 232, 252 and 257 of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subtilisin;
(b) a bleaching agent which either is an organic peroxyacid or is a combination of a bleach activator and a peroxygen compound capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide that can react with the activator to form an organic peroxyacid in situ in a bleaching solution formed from the composition; and
(c) from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the dishwashing composition, of a surfactant, is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning a dish in need of cleaning comprising contacting the dish with the dishwashing bleaching composition of the present invention is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a personal cleansing composition comprising:
(a) an effective amount, preferably from about 0.001% to about 5% by weight of the personal cleansing composition, of a protease variant wherein said protease variant includes a substitution of an amino acid residue with another naturally occurring amino acid residue at one or more amino acid residue positions corresponding to positions 62, 212, 230, 232, 252 and 257 of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subtilisin;
(b) a bleaching agent which either is an organic peroxyacid or is a combination of a bleach activator and a peroxygen compound capable of yielding hydrogen peroxide that can react with the activator to form an organic peroxyacid in situ in a bleaching solution formed from the composition; and
(c) from about 0.1% to about 95% by weight of the personal cleansing composition, of a surfactant system; and
(d) optionally, from about 0.05% to about 50% by weight of the personal cleansing composition, of an enzyme stabilizer, is provided.
In still yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for personal cleansing of a part of the human or lower animal body in need of cleansing comprising contacting the part with the personal cleansing composition of the present invention is provided.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide bleaching compositions having a protease variant capable of providing improved and enhanced cleaning of fabrics, dishware, tableware, kitchenware, cookware and other hard surface substrates. It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods for fabric, dishware, tableware, kitchenware, cookware and other hard surface substrate cleansing via the use of the protease variant-containing bleaching compositions of the present invention.
These and other objects, features and advantages will be clear from the following detailed description, examples and appended claims.
All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are on a weight basis unless otherwise indicated. All documents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.